A Second chance for Hermione
by Chilika
Summary: Hermione is married to Draco and she finds him cheating on her...


Second chances for Hermione.

I know the title is lame but it was the best I could come at this moment and this story which is my first by the way… is also written at spur of the moment because I love Dramione! Sadly JK Rowling owns everything about Harry Potter Series and not me. So here goes...

Hermione looked as bored as she felt at the ministry's party. It was a gala thrown in the honor of Kingsley. Everyone had attended it. Harry and Ginny were absent as they were busy nursing their firstborn back to health as he had flu. She had spoken with Ron and he had been much busy trying to catch attention of his wife Lavender and hurrying to get back home to this two children. He of course was very polite and courteous to her as usual while Lavender was pregnant as usual. He beamed at his wife who walked slowly as she was seven months pregnant and needed his help moving. His devoted attention to his wife raised the ugly green monster of jealousy in Hermione's heart. She should have been in Lavender's place. Ron should have been holding her hand instead she was stuck with a husband who she could describe at best was a good partner in this endeavor that the ministry had out them to. To breed children at least two of them in five years to replenish the magical population. They had drawn pairs based on their strengths and magical core compatibility. She had been paired with Draco. At first they had been cold and unwilling to consummate the marriage but a stern warning of getting their wands broken forced them to copulate and as a result Scorpius was born. Hermione smiled as she thought about their first born, though he looked like Draco, he had so much of her qualities that she felt herself swell with pride. He was their darling. She was surprised at the love and attention that Draco and given to her when she was pregnant with Scorpius and then the responsibilities that he took over after Scorpius was born. There was no doubt that Draco adored his son and doted on him. She was relieved when Draco agreed to let her take care of him the muggle way. He even defended her when his parents were shocked to hear their decision.

All in all she had no complaints when it came to Draco. They were now healthy adults and so they would come together on a regular basis to satisfy their needs so that they would not stray. It had been three years since Scorpius was conceived and Hermione was yet to feel the excitement of being a married woman. To her this had become a chore. She looked forlornly at Ron's disappearing back. He was the one she wanted. She had loved him and lost him. With a heavy sigh she walked towards the exit hoping to find Draco. She had left him as soon as she saw Ron. She walked towards the huge gate of the castle where the Gala was being held. As she walked slowly she heard a moan. Intrigued she tiptoed towards it. The sounds grew louder and then Hermione saw who was making those noises clearly under the light of the lamp. She felt as if somebody had stabbed her heart with a knife and twisted it hard. A painful sob escaped from her lips before she could stop it. The couple who were entwined in each other's limbs broke apart panting. Hermione gasped as she saw Draco with swollen red lips and a woman named April who was a liaison for her department turn towards her. The woman gasped with shame and leaving Draco's arms she apparated then and there. Draco stared at Hermione with deadpan eyes before righting his clothes and walking towards her.

Hermione was finding it hard to breathe. She wanted to scream and rant and hit Draco but her upbringing was forcing her to control such urges. She could not believe what had seen just now. She stomped angrily towards the gate taking time to calm herself before apparating directly to her drawing room of her flat. It was their flat though… a big one at that. She had lovingly decorated every room of that house and for what? Only to be shown that she held no importance in this man's life… this man whom she thought of as her husband. How could he do this to her? She had loved him so much. She had respected him so much. They had a partnership based on equality and trust. How could he have betrayed her like this? It wasn't like they could not satisfy each other's bodily needs. She was always ready to help him in that department so why would he kiss another woman with so much passion? She felt her heart constrict as she replayed what she had seen, Draco's mouth covering that woman's, kissing her fervently! He had never kissed her like that. He was always gentle with her. Letting her take the lead in the bed… so why was he so rough with that woman but not her? She let out another sob as millions of questions popped into her head to which she had no answers and she wanted them. She was Hermione Granger she needed to know where she failed to be enough for Draco.

While Hermione was thinking and stumbling towards the couch she missed the pop of apparition that brought Draco into the living room with her. He cleared his throat to let her know about his presence. Hermione turned towards him in a flash and glared at him with eyes filled with tears. She walked up to him and without a word slapped him right across his left cheek. Draco's face turned red as he tried hard not to react. He clenched his fists and took a deep breathe. He looked at her straight with fury in his glacier eyes and his jaw clenched hard. Luckily for them Scorpius's bedroom was locked and soundproof one sided so they could talk loudly if they wanted to.

"How could you do this? How could you betray us like this? I can't believe you could stoop so low Draco. Why? Why!" She screamed at him. Draco swept his gaze towards the corridor leading to his son's room. He was fairly confident that their voices could not be heard by him.

He smirked his famous smirk and replied, "Surely you cannot begrudge me a kiss Hermione. I mean after all we are just equal partners in this marriage. We are not to feel anything towards each other. Wasn't that one of your rules before we got married? We were here just to complete a joint task set for us by the ministry. Once the kids were born we would be rethinking about our lives again right? Well guess what? I am preparing for my future. I want to prepare a life for me after our second child is born and we start to rethink our lives. I mean aren't you doing the same? Just like you had planned four years ago?"

Hermione stared at him open mouthed as she heard him say those words without guilt. And she couldn't fault him as well because she has said those exact words, she had said that this was a joint task and afterwards they would have some rethinking to do. Never in a million years did she expect Draco to use those same words to cheat on her. He was so much like her in so many ways and so the thought that he might cheat on her never entered her mind. They were married and so they belonged to each other body mind and soul, that was that, end of story. How stupid she had been. Draco was just like other men and men always go astray. She spluttered before replying, "What? What are you talking about Draco? We were young then…just teenagers. I had a different view of life back then. I did not know what marriage and motherhood was all about and so I spoke harshly with not much sense… but you… you are the one who keeps saying that Malfoys never cheat on their wives and all that crap. What happened to that?" she snapped.

Draco looked at her his demeanor cold and aloof, "I am not cheating. It's not cheating if you kiss someone under mistletoe. I think you must have missed that part darling." He drawled.

Hermione thundered at him, "Kiss means a peck Draco, not putting your tongue down her throat. Don't try and make a fool out of me. I know what a lover's kiss is and that was a lover's kiss not a social peck as it should have been. Don't lie."

Draco shrugged his shoulders, "Well what am I do to if the lady fancies me? I mean… I am a man after all. And anyway why are you getting so angry Granger? It's not like you love me. Ours is a marriage of convenience and so a little kiss like that should be dismissed. I am sure you must be thinking such thoughts as well of your former lovers. That's okay by me."

Rage ran amok in her veins as she snapped at him, "I may think about the past Draco but I have never acted on it. I have never cheated on you. I have never kissed someone else."

Draco laughed out loud before shaking his head and replying, "No, no, no, you have never kissed anyone but have looked longingly at a particular redhead every time you met him. You have ignored your husband and child when you are in the same room with him. You have dismissed me and my company whenever you got a chance to speak with him. How is that not betrayal Hermione? Just because you weren't physical with him doesn't mean it didn't hurt." He shouted the last few words out loud enough to scare her. Her heart beat fiercely in fear as she realized that Draco knew about her feelings for Ron. He knew how she felt about their life together. She remained shocked for seconds before she could think coherently. What was he saying? Why did he care so much about that? She was his wife, married to him, surely that was enough?

Draco snorted as if he could hear her thoughts. Hermione looked at him trying to gather her thoughts. Had she been that obvious? She could understand his hurt if that was the case. She had felt jealous many a time when Astoria or Pansy tried to keep him to themselves for the evening during a party that his manor. He was always polite to them and made excuses to attend to her without fail. He never left her alone and always made sure he was around her to help her when people raised uncomfortable questions about his death-eater past. Draco always knew how to handle others who tried to make her feel uncomfortable by talking about Voldermort. Was she not that attentive towards him when they went to the Burrow? She thought back and turned red when she realized that she often left him alone with Scorpius in his arms while she spoke with Harry, Ginny and Ron on length without looking or thinking about him. But then she shook her guilt, maybe she had been inattentive but that did not excuse him kissing another woman! "So what? I didn't pay attention to you during a few parties and so it is okay for you to kiss a woman at one? That's a lame excuse even for you Malfoy." She raised her nose haughtily at him daring him to prove her wrong.

Draco shook his head in disbelief. She would never get him that he was sure of. Maybe he could show her the truth, "We spent nearly three months apart before we consummated our marriage Hermione. Do you think I lack control? You want to know why I kissed a random woman today? I will tell you why… I kissed her because I wanted to feel something. For once I wanted to be with someone who did not think of sex as a chore or a duty. I wanted to be with someone who was not afraid to show how much passion she felt for me. I wanted to, for once be with a person who loved me and not just tolerated me. Is this answer enough for you or do you want more? I think maybe you do." He continued before she could answer, "I was not there looking for a woman Hermione I was there looking for my wife only to see her long after her best friend, no, her married best friend who took his pregnant wife, with whom he is in love with, home. I saw how much you wanted to be with Ron and that… that just killed every ounce of respect I had for you. I gave you space, I took care of you, I was so happy when we conceived. I wanted to give you the world but you… you just drew plans on how to live life after the task…yes the task of raising two children once they were born. I ask you Hermione where did I fail as a husband for you to still think about Ron? Have I not done everything in my power to keep you and Scorpious happy, safe and loved?I put you first always and that was not because I am your partner but because I love you… I was falling for you every day since our wedding. I was at a place where I wanted to confess my love for you… I was waiting for you to be in that same place but year after year, month after month, day after day I saw how much I meant to you… I finally realized today that you will never be in that place Hermione. I was standing alone waiting for you in our future hoping to be together in a way two people who are on love with each other should be. I realized that I will never be enough for you… so rest assured you can make your future plans after our second child is born. I have finally accepted the truth. I understand that kissing another woman was a bad way of acting out but I guess I am going to forgive myself as I just had my heart broken. I know what you want Hermione and now I also know what I need. I will go now, I know there isn't much left for us to say." With that taking long strides he left the drawing room and walked towards their bedroom slamming the door after him.

Hermione stood still with tears running down her face. What Draco has said just now was a revelation to her. He was in love with her. He wanted to live with her. He wanted family with her. But what did she want? Did she want Ron? Hermione thought about what Draco has said about Ron being in love with Lavender and realized that she had been blind indeed. Ron was in love with Lavender. A blind person could make that out seeing the way he fussed over her, took care of her and kept touching her. Hermione felt like hitting herself for being so blind to the reality in front of her and what had she wanted from Ron? He was no longer her best friend either. It had been years since they shared anything private with each other. He was always busy with his wife. Hermione was the one always making him take time out to speak with her He never made the effort. She slapped her forehead with her hand to punish herself. What was dumb witch she turned out to be when it came to Ron? He had clearly moved on in his life. And what about Draco? She remembered the days when they were first married and it was their night to consummate their marriage. He had been gentle with her allaying all her fears and allowing her space till she decided it was time to practice again. He was a very considerate lover… lover… was he her lover? He could be… he never kissed her much but many times she had felt him kiss her forehead as she dropped to sleep after their lovemaking. When they kissed it was usually very short because she never felt she could give herself wholly to that experience. She always stopped short. Was it because of Ron? Was it because she did not think this was a real marriage? What had she been expecting to happen after their second child was born? Could she leave Draco and her children and go back to Ron? Is that what she was thinking? She heard a resounding NO from inside her heart. She may have daydreamed of being in the group of Harry, Ginny and Ron but she knew deep down that her life had changed. Draco and the children would be her priority. She trusted him implicitly and that is why catching him like that felt so painful… One could say that she was in love with him or else why should she feel like killing that woman for touching her husband, why did she feel this possessive streak when it came to him? Did she love Draco? Of course she did. He took care of her, gave her everything she needed, was patient with her and argued with her intelligently. When she had been pregnant she had been the center of his attention and slowly she had started to take it for granted. Hermione shook her head in disbelief. She had been a fool thinking a person as smart as Draco would be okay with being treated like that. She felt ashamed of her behavior and also alarmed that being the brightest witch she could not realize that she had been in love with her husband for some time now. How did she know that? Well because the thought of being separated from him made her want to die. She never felt like this for Ron ever! She needed to make things right. That was when she heard the sound of a suitcase being closed. Hermione who had collapsed on the couch jumped up and ran to their bedroom.

She opened the door frantically thinking her husband was getting ready to leave her. She slammed open the door only to find Draco slamming a drawer that always got stuck, shut. He turned in surprise after hearing the door being slammed open. He saw the harried look on her face and calmly sat down on their bed and assured her, "Don't worry Hermione. I won't be leaving you and Scorp until we finish the task. And even after that I will be there to take care of the children. I am not leaving them. You are welcome to do as you wish as usual." With that he sighed deeply and looked away from her. That gesture pained Hermione. She walked up to him. He was sitting on the bed and yet he was almost her height. Hermione wiped away her tears, composed herself as Draco watched puzzled. She spoke in a clear voice, "Draco, I know I have made some mistakes, some really bad ones and I apologize for that but don't say that this is just a task for me. It wasn't, isn't, and hasn't been a task for me for years now. I forgot what it meant to be in love. I wanted my years in Hogwarts back. I had planned an exciting life with us four harry, Ginny, Ron and I. We would travel the world and study more and then plan our married life. I never got to have that carefree life. After school the ministry forced me to get married and took away my childhood. I mean who gets pregnant at 20? I love our son and I … I love you." She looked straight into his eyes and catching his face in her two hands spoke slowly, "I… love… you Draco. I know I haven't said that but I have spoken it many times inside my head. I just… I just did not have that open relationship with you that I had with harry and Ron. But that doesn't mean that I did not love you. I did, I do, I just did not know how to say it. And since you never said it… I guess I thought it would be unspoken between us. I do not want Ron. Yes, I was infatuated with the life he was leading but that was just me being stupid. I don't love him at all. It did not hit me until I saw you kissing that woman. Until then I was thought that my relationship with you was safe inside a cocoon of polite and respectable exchanges. I… I am sorry for neglecting you. I am guilty of that. But I want to change that. I realize that I was daydreaming about my lost dream too long. It's time to get real and reality is that you are my husband whom I love and respect more than anything in the world. You and Scorp are the only two people who matter to me. Can you… can you give me a second chance to make this right?" She looked worriedly at Draco. He simply stared back trying hard to not grin. He nodded and took her hands from his face. He held them and said, "of course Hermione I can. You gave me as second chance by testifying for me and marrying me. I am more than willing to give you a second chance. You are the love of my life Hermione. I love you. I love you so much and I have been wanting to say this for such a long time now… I had lost all hope at the party and that is why…

Hermione put her finger to his lips and shushed him, "No more talking about that woman. I forgive you and you forgive me. And from now on there is going to be a new plan… a new task… one that we both want to finish." She smiled mischievously as Draco raised his eyebrow and questioned silently. Hermione pulled him from the bed and forced him to take a shower while she did the same. He never got a chance to ask her why because she kept stopping him, interrupting him. They got back out into their bedroom covered in towels and drying themselves using magic. Hermione switched the lights out and magically lighted the room with fairy lights. She pulled Draco towards the bed before falling the bed and raising her arms to beckon him to her. Draco smiled as he removed his towel before falling on her. They made love slowly as usual this time laughing and kissing like teenagers. Draco even spanked her only to be surprised by her reaction. Who knew Hermione liked it a bit rough? The second round was a bit fast and a bit rough. Throughout the night they kept kissing and snuggling and making love till dawn. It was as if this was their real first night of their marriage.

Hermione woke up sated only to find Scorp asleep beside her while Draco was bringing them breakfast. She smiled at him as he landed a tray on the bed. They both lovingly woke up Scorpious and the three of them had a fun breakfast. As it was a Sunday, they usually went to the Burrow for lunch. Hermione wanted to cancel but Draco made her go. She agreed for him. So the three went to the Burrow and were received warmly by everyone and Hermione who could now see things clearly saw it was the right thing to do because Molly loved Scorpius as did James and Albus Potter. Bill spoke with Draco about curse breaking while Ginny and Fleur entertained her with the antics of their children and Molly. She could see how loved they were by this family. Finally as they sat for lunch, Draco smiled at her and took her hand. She simply blushed and squeezed it. They had a relatively quiet lunch until Ron came in with his family. Lavender smiled at Hermione and Draco nodding her hello. Ron greeted them coolly and then put his attention to food forgetting that he had Rose and Hugo to feed. As Hermione took in the reality around her she saw how clumsy Ron was with his children and how many times Lavender had to tell him what to do again and again before he understood what needed to be done. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief that she was not married to Ron. She did not have the patience that Lavender seemed to possess. Thank God! She had Draco. She did not want anyone else. Perhaps the ministry had been right in pairing them off. She leaned over and to everyone's surprise kissed Draco on his lips resoundingly. He grinned like a Cheshire cat and simply shrugged his shoulders to the whistles and catcalls around the table. Hermione blushed and for the first time Ron looked perplexed to see Hermione this shy. Lavender looked at her knowingly.

A week passed and everything had changed in the Granger-Malfoy household. Hermione ad Draco were more open and spontaneous that ever. There was raucous laughter instead of polite sniggering. Hermione and Draco's love life greatly improved they now knew they were in a committed relationship with the love of their lives. And that evening Hermione announced that she was pregnant to Draco who had just begun to fall asleep after their lovemaking. He kissed her deeply, sleep all forgotten and they cuddled and spoke about their dreams and plans for their second child. Luckily for them their plans matched. The ministry had indeed matched them correctly. She fell asleep thanking God for giving her a perfect husband and a second chance to make things right. 


End file.
